fill*' 




The Eruption of Mont Pelee, 



AND WHAT IT SUGGESTS. 



Whenever a volcanic eruption, like that at Martinique, 
occurs it brings up before us the whole subject of the 
disturbances of the inner portions of the earth's crust. 
What is within the crust or outer covering of this our 
earth, we know not. We have been down into mines, 
and artesian wells have been bored to the depth of 2,500 
feet. But what is 2,500 feet in comparison with the 7,000 
miles of the diameter of the earth ! There are few facts 
to be obtained, and no possible way of obtaining the facts 
that are so far beyond our reach. Every student of geol- 
ogy knows the old theory as to the formation of the earth. 
That it was first an indifferent mass — created — how? we 
know not. But the all-wonderful things about it proves 
something more than the ability of itself to evolve out 
of itself some higher and higher condition. No lower 
matter or form ever had the ability to advance itself — all 
by itself — to some higher condition. Mere matter, not 
even of the highest form, ever created anything. There- 
fore, back of all this, we see, so far as our inferior mortal 
eyes are able to see, a Creator. All these years, with the 
zeal of the knights in old King Arthur's time searching 






for the "Holy Grail," the intelligent modern world has 
been searching for facts. The old theory was that our earth 
was first an indifferent mass — for many ages not avail- 
able for the habitation of man. It was a molten mass 
of matter. The outer surface cooled and formed a crust 
more or less solid, the inner portions still being a molten 
mass. The expansion or overflow of this molten matter 
gave rise to the cause of volcanoes. But the world is less 
positive in regard to this matter than it was a century 
ago. The essential facts in the case are not available; 
and, until the facts are all in, or enough on which to form 
a correct idea as to the inner secrets of our earth, one 
good plausible theory is as good as another. We have 
discovered that large quantities of subtile gases and oils, 
in some mysterious manner, come up somewhere from 
the depths of the earth. This is a fact. So far as we 
have been able to explore what we term the outer crust, 
we see that it is formed of solid parts and open spaces, 
much like the formations of vegetables or bones. Gases, 
in large quantities, often become destructive to life. 
In some localities the flow of natural gas, somewhere 
from the interior of the earth, is so abundant and con- 
tinuous that it is utilized for domestic purposes, for 
lighting and heating. In some localities the flow of 
oil is so abundant as to be a large product of consump- 
tion and trade. In the times of Zoroaster there were 
certain localities where fire came out of the ground. As 
the ancient Persians worshiped fire, such places, with 
them, were " holy grounds." Here they worshiped. Now, 
we know that these localities must have been places where 
natural gas was escaping from confines below. The Per- 
sian fire worshipers were undoubtedly very pious, and, 
undoubtedly, any suggestion to utilize that gas for prac- 
tical purposes for the good of man would have been re- 
garded by them as impious. But the world of Zoroaster's 
day and the world of our day are far apart as to what 



... JS-cj. 






. I I < s ' 



is holy and what is for the real advancement of mankind. 
Whatever advances mankind is truly holy, and, while the 
modern mind has little respect for the conditions of those 
ancient days, it has really a high appreciation, and, there- 
fore, more intelligent veneration for the forces of nature. 
It has utilized these forces and more and more it is inves- 
tigating them, and, with a zeal that doth not weary, it is 
ever searching for facts — such facts as shall benefit the 
world. From such facts as we have, the suggestion 
that the earth is formed upon the basis of intervals of 
solid parts and open spaces, would seem to be most plaus- 
ible. Indeed, the most solid parts themselves are not 
absolutely solid. As nature "abhors the vacuum," so 
she seems to abhor absolute solidity. In these openings 
or pockets the gases and oils accumulate; they being, as 
it were, great magazines or storehouses of deposit — the 
process the while going on, there being no end thereto. 
The subtile heat of the atmosphere (in the Northern 
hemisphere) is mostly formed during the warmer months 
of the year, though sometimes in the cooler months, 
but never unless there is present a series of areas of low 
barometer, traveling on a relatively north line, for the 
United States. This heat generates electricity in the 
form of what we term lightning, and the accompanying 
report we term thunder; and above, in the cloud forma- 
tion brought by the winds from hundreds of miles away, 
the force which we term electricity is stored. When the 
conditions are like the charged cannon — when all is 
ready, an action that results in combustion takes place, 
and the explosion follows. It does not take place, nor 
can it take place, until all the conditions are favor- 
able. This we know ; and by what takes place above the 
earth, and of which we know, we judge of the conditions 
and results below the surface of the earth. The subtile 
gases and oils are all the while being formed, as it were 
distilled; they are gathered in the great pockets or maga- 



zines within the body of the earth. Where the supply of 
these subtile agents is small and distributed over a wide 
area, the earthquake of less or more power is the result. 
Where the deposits are on a larger scale, the result is the 
volcano; and the larger the deposits the greater the sub- 
magazine, the more terrible the volcano. 

So soon as the terrible eruption of Mont Pelee was 
known a scientific expedition was organized to immed- 
iately go there for the purpose of studying the great 
Martinique volcano. Some theories had been advanced, 
so it was hoped, and even expected, that such a timely 
visit would either verify the theories advanced, or obtain 
such important facts as would add to the contributions 
of science something more tangible than a theory; — that 
we would obtain such facts as would put the volcano 
question upon a high scientific basis. 

Of the principal theories thus far advanced, one claims 
that the eruption was due to steam, but does not demon- 
strate, clearly at least, how water was to be introduced 
into the crust of the earth, and even then how, in the 
condition of steam, it was to be generated into such a 
terrible power. The members of the expedition, in their 
report, favor electricity, and state that there was evidence 
of that power. But how this electricity was produced we 
have no intimation. From the evidence of the weather 
map, while electricity may at times be an apparent or 
primary cause, in reality it is only an effect, produced, 
in open nature, by a very simple process. As above the 
earth, so beneath its surface, electricity is the result of 
certain forces, and not an original or primary cause. 

It seems queer to read in some work, or paper of high 
repute, " that explosive gases are evolved during violent 
volcanic eruptions," or that the explosion is caused by 
the waters of the ocean in some way reaching the volcano, 
there not being in these statements the least suggestion 
from where the power must come to produce such results, 



or how the agents in the case are brought together. In 
1883, when the great eruption of the volcano at Krakatoa 
took place, there happened to be at that time a meteoro- 
logical condition that produced a very delicate red sky. 
Because of this red sky at this peculiar time many 
learned men, not familiar with the revelations of the 
weather map, at once jumped to the conclusion that the 
red sky at that time was due to the volcano at Krakatoa — 
on the line of the old Latin quotation, "Post hoc, ergo 
propter hoc," (After this, therefore on account of this.) 
This quotation is applicable on some occasions, but there 
are many times when it is far from being applicable. If 
one great volcano, and that one-half way around the 
world, shall produce a certain condition of atmosphere 
in America, it would seem that a similar volcano, in our 
immediate neighborhood, should produce a like result. 
But as yet — now after some weeks — we have not had any 
red sky effects, for the simple reason that the areas of 
high and low barometer have not the peculiar relations 
nor conditions to produce them. The eruption of Mont 
Pelee was on a large scale, and was the cause of terrible 
calamities to man. Such calamities reveal the condi- 
tions that the modern man has developed — all through 
his holy zeal in the search of facts. Even a century ago 
such a catastrophe as that at Krakatoa would not have 
been known to the people on this side of the globe for 
months, and then only a few would have known of it. 
The same with that of Mont Pelee and the other side of 
the globe. As for the relief and assistance that was sent 
to the people of Martinique, it would not have been 
thought of, or, if thought of, been at all practicable. 

The ancient world had its piety and its awful venera- 
tion and terrible fear for the mysterious forces of nature. 
To the superficial mind the modern world is wanting in 
these qualities. We have become more and more familiar 
with the mysterious forces of nature, at least as to the 



application of them for the benefit and utility of man- 
kind. And this it would seem was a higher condition 
than the veneration and awe of the ancient world, 
which lacked the ability to utilize these forces for the 
benefit of mankind. 

ISAAC P. NO YES. 

Washington, D. C, May 26, 1902, 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




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